Aug 2, 2013, 6:51 pm
Last edit by: CWAL
A new thread was created for the new year in 2017. This is the old thread. For the 2017 on this topic, go here: http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/manufactured-spending/1819562-cvs-master-thread-2017-a.html
CVS is cash only for all Incomm-related reloads and reloadable cards, including Vanilla Reloads and Serve swipe reloads. See memo to stores for complete list. Other cards at CVS can still be bought using credit, but YMMV depending on location, Manager, etc.
New limits rolling out starting 10/20:
Transactions with $300 or more of card face value require ID.
Limit $2000 of card face value per 24 hour rolling period.
Limit of 10 cards per 24 hours.
Cashback posted in 48 hours.
Cash Register Freezing
Multiple reports that the CVS cash register will freeze and lock after scanning the ID when purchasing multiple prepaid cards. Then the register's computer needs to be restarted. Some report that "swiping" the ID instead of "scanning" will avoid the issue.
Limit of 7 tenders (swipes) per transaction. This is most commonly run into when using low-value AGCs. After seven, the transaction must be complete, no cash (or any other payment method) will be accepted to pay the balance.
CVS is cash only for all Incomm-related reloads and reloadable cards, including Vanilla Reloads and Serve swipe reloads. See memo to stores for complete list. Other cards at CVS can still be bought using credit, but YMMV depending on location, Manager, etc.
New limits rolling out starting 10/20:
Transactions with $300 or more of card face value require ID.
Limit $2000 of card face value per 24 hour rolling period.
Limit of 10 cards per 24 hours.
Cashback posted in 48 hours.
Cash Register Freezing
Multiple reports that the CVS cash register will freeze and lock after scanning the ID when purchasing multiple prepaid cards. Then the register's computer needs to be restarted. Some report that "swiping" the ID instead of "scanning" will avoid the issue.
Limit of 7 tenders (swipes) per transaction. This is most commonly run into when using low-value AGCs. After seven, the transaction must be complete, no cash (or any other payment method) will be accepted to pay the balance.
CVS master thread(2013-2016)
Feb 27, 2014, 10:09 am
#4831
Join Date: Mar 2007
Location: S Cal
Programs: AA Lifetime Plat, United Silver, Marriott Plat, IHG Plat
Posts: 1,142
1. I'm assuming that if you swipe reload Serve at CVS, this means you avoid the $3.95 fee per VR, correct? Yes, those fees do add up.
2. Another question about Serve: I have a BB account and so does my wife. When I buy VRs, I can apply them to either account. But if I were to switch both accounts to Serve, would I be able to swipe reload her Serve accout at CVS? Does the CVS cashier check the name on the Serve card?
3. So far, if I understand how Serve works, the thing that has kept me from switching over is that I believe Serve does not offer checkwriting. I am writing lots of BB checks to pay estimated taxes and property taxes. Am I right that I lose checkwriting with Serve? Is there any way to pay taxes from a Serve account?
(Ooh!! Just noticed that the Serve thread is nearing 1600 posts. I may be busy reading for a while....)
Last edited by GetawaysRus; Feb 27, 2014 at 10:31 am
Feb 27, 2014, 10:13 am
#4832
Join Date: Sep 2013
Location: SNA/LAX
Posts: 1,407
I usually tell them the last 4 #s before they ask, but have no problems handing them the cc if they want it, with no need to cover up anything. If a person is set on getting the whole # they will, if they get it and use it Im covered and will simply dispute those charges. Besides for many things theyd need the 3 # security code on the back anyways
I don't mind showing them the whole card if necessary though. To be honest, at this point, most of the cashiers probably remember the last four of the CC that I use most often, but would be too nervous to just start plucking numbers before I gave them the last four.
Feb 27, 2014, 10:19 am
#4833
Join Date: Jan 2014
Posts: 100
OK, so my curiosity about Serve is increasing. But I have a few questions:
1. I'm assuming that if you swipe reload Serve at CVS, this means you avoid the $3.95 fee per VR, correct? Yes, those fees do add up.
2. Another question about Serve: I have a BB account and so does my wife. When I buy VRs, I can apply them to either account. But if I were to switch both accounts to Serve, would I be able to swipe reload her Serve accout at CVS? Does the CVS cashier check the name on the Serve card?
3. So far, if I understand how Serve works, the thing that has kept me from switching over is that I believe Serve does not offer checkwriting. I am writing lots of BB checks to pay estimated taxes and property taxes. Am I right that I lose checkwriting with Serve? Is there any way to pay taxes from a Serve account?
1. I'm assuming that if you swipe reload Serve at CVS, this means you avoid the $3.95 fee per VR, correct? Yes, those fees do add up.
2. Another question about Serve: I have a BB account and so does my wife. When I buy VRs, I can apply them to either account. But if I were to switch both accounts to Serve, would I be able to swipe reload her Serve accout at CVS? Does the CVS cashier check the name on the Serve card?
3. So far, if I understand how Serve works, the thing that has kept me from switching over is that I believe Serve does not offer checkwriting. I am writing lots of BB checks to pay estimated taxes and property taxes. Am I right that I lose checkwriting with Serve? Is there any way to pay taxes from a Serve account?
Feb 27, 2014, 11:12 am
#4834
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: MSN
Posts: 203
Have any of the Madison, WI people attempted to load Serve with CC at CVS?
Feb 27, 2014, 11:31 am
#4835
Join Date: Feb 2006
Programs: HH Gold (again), US/UA/DL non-elite, ZE Presidents Circle, WN reluctant no fee convert.
Posts: 1,449
Just hit me. Going out of town to a non-Charles, Victory, Steven city! I will be buying up before I leave at the "dependable" store. Hope it stays that way!
Feb 27, 2014, 12:26 pm
#4836
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: CHS
Programs: United 1K, Globalist Hyatt, Plat Marriott
Posts: 289
Does anyone have a good tool that tracks where you hide the VRs? I've got these things planted in numerous different stores and having a hard time keeping track. Any help is appreciated.
Feb 27, 2014, 12:32 pm
#4838
Join Date: Jan 2014
Location: MSN
Posts: 203
Geocaching+MS = ultimate dork sport?
Feb 27, 2014, 2:04 pm
#4839
Join Date: Apr 2012
Location: Raleigh, NC
Programs: AA EXP, Marriott Plat
Posts: 198
anyone's CVS start asking "are you standing in front of me purchasing this card"? My CVS just started asking the other day - saying CVS has been hit with a lot of fraud w GC/prepaids with people calling in...
Feb 27, 2014, 2:31 pm
#4840
Join Date: Sep 2012
Location: IAD/DCA
Programs: Bunch of mid-tiers
Posts: 1,034
What happens if you say no, I am not standing in front of you?
Feb 27, 2014, 4:23 pm
#4841
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 5,015
Well, here's my 2 cents on posting availability info... When OD was selling VR and variable load gc that one could buy with a cc, I posted on a blogger's site which particular store had these in stock. I did that on a Thursday night after buying a usual under the radar amount of 1k. That following Sunday I was driving by the store and stopped in to buy another 1k. The gc rack was empty of what I wanted. Went to manager to see if they had more and he told me no they didn't because they sold out the. $15K worth that they had the day before. He heard somebody say that they were "gaming Chase CC's" to get a five percent rebate and he didn't know when they would get any more.
Bottom line, that was the end of VGC and VR with a CC at OD. So, I guess that I am saying that availability should not be posted with a specific store but could be posted as. 'Available in DC'.
Yes OD did stop selling VR but that ended for me as soon as it started.
BTW, I have two pharmacies that always have VR's for me.......
Bottom line, that was the end of VGC and VR with a CC at OD. So, I guess that I am saying that availability should not be posted with a specific store but could be posted as. 'Available in DC'.
Yes OD did stop selling VR but that ended for me as soon as it started.
BTW, I have two pharmacies that always have VR's for me.......
The CVS response was first to move them behind the counter (but a inspector from CVS management later told them to stop doing that). That worked fine while it was in effect. In the end, the store manager at the CVS decided to only accept cash for VRs. That's still the rule.
Of course, the hidden cards are now displayed in all their glory on the racks. But someone whose greed got the best of them slaughtered the herd. And, unlike another poster falsely claimed, that is NOT "irrational paranoia" or "flawed thinking." To think that it won't ever hurt to publicly post a list of stores that have a constant availability of VR cards shows naiveté or a lack of experience at best.
Last edited by DCBob; Feb 27, 2014 at 4:47 pm
Feb 27, 2014, 5:48 pm
#4842
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Apr 2002
Location: Madison, WI, USA
Posts: 14,162
+1. That's a logical conclusion and it's what happened to me at the Vermont Avenue Store in DC. They had HUNDREDS of cards in inventory and ZERO on the racks about a year ago. The hiding of the cards took place the day after I PM'ed a FTer.
The CVS response was first to move them behind the counter (but a inspector from CVS management later told them to stop doing that). That worked fine while it was in effect. In the end, the store manager at the CVS decided to only accept cash for VRs. That's still the rule.
Of course, the hidden cards are now displayed in all their glory on the racks. But someone whose greed got the best of them slaughtered the herd. And, unlike another poster falsely claimed, that is NOT "irrational paranoia" or "flawed thinking." To think that it won't ever hurt to publicly post a list of stores that have a constant availability of VR cards shows naiveté or a lack of experience at best.
The CVS response was first to move them behind the counter (but a inspector from CVS management later told them to stop doing that). That worked fine while it was in effect. In the end, the store manager at the CVS decided to only accept cash for VRs. That's still the rule.
Of course, the hidden cards are now displayed in all their glory on the racks. But someone whose greed got the best of them slaughtered the herd. And, unlike another poster falsely claimed, that is NOT "irrational paranoia" or "flawed thinking." To think that it won't ever hurt to publicly post a list of stores that have a constant availability of VR cards shows naiveté or a lack of experience at best.
If you had gotten the other FTer to admit that he or she hid all the cards, then you could draw that conclusion with some confidence, because you'd then have fact to back up your hypothesis.
No one claimed that "it won't ever hurt to publicly post a list of stores" -- I claimed that you don't know that it will. It is but one of many possibilities -- another could be that stores start stocking more VRs because of the increase in business generated by a list, although this particular list just listed negatives, so it's not likely in this case.
Last edited by PaulMSN; Feb 27, 2014 at 5:54 pm
Feb 27, 2014, 5:55 pm
#4843
Join Date: Sep 2001
Location: Washington, DC
Programs: UA Plat MM, AA Gold, Hyatt Explorist, Hilton Gold, IHG Plat, Marriott Titanium Elite
Posts: 5,015
No, that's not a logical conclusion, but rather more flawed thinking. You made a hypothesis based on events that occurred and then decided hypothesis was fact without any corroborating evidence and without examining any of a myriad other possibilities. It's tempting to decide "this must be the reason", but it is only one of many possibilities. You don't have, and can't have, enough evidence to prove your conclusion. There are simply too many variables.
Feb 27, 2014, 6:07 pm
#4844
Join Date: Jun 2011
Programs: DL, Amex MR
Posts: 287
Both of us have a right to our respective opinions. Seasoned MS zealots can give us feedback and some have done so. I'd like to hear what others think. I would also like you to give evidence to support your own position, that publicly posting a list of stores with availability won't affect the supply at that store. That seems to be what you are suggesting.
Feb 27, 2014, 6:17 pm
#4845
Join Date: Dec 2013
Posts: 546
3. So far, if I understand how Serve works, the thing that has kept me from switching over is that I believe Serve does not offer checkwriting. I am writing lots of BB checks to pay estimated taxes and property taxes. Am I right that I lose checkwriting with Serve? Is there any way to pay taxes from a Serve account?)